The Exact
M
The first mechanically successful
American automobile!
Who built it?
This statement is to establish
the true facts once and for all.
An erroneous impression has
been gained by a few that a
controversy exists relative to the
"First Car" matter.
We wish now to publicly an
nounce that this is not true.
Here are all the facts the actual
facts and nothing else.
In the early nineties, Elmer and
Edgar Apperson operated a
machine shop in Kokomo, Indiana.
At the same timeElwood Haynes
was associated with the Natural
Gas Company of Portland, Indiana-One
day the thought came to
Mr. Haynes that a gasoline vehicle
would have untold economic possi
bilities in America.
It should be remembered that
certain inventors in Europe had
already been at work on the idea
of the gasoline automobile. For
example, the famous Benz cars had
been operating for quite a while.
Thus it was Elwood Haynes, who
initiated the idea which developed
into the first mechanically success
ful American made motor car.
However, the most important
step of anyone who has found a
new idea is to locate the brains and
ability which will enable the de
velopment of the idea in a practical
manner, so it can become a reality
So in this instance the best and
most practical mechanics were
sought.
Messrs." Elmer and Edgar
Apperson were selected as being
the most competent.
At this time they owned the
Riverside Machine Works, which
was located on the site of one of
our present plants.
June five,
Kokomo, Indiana.'
TIIE SUNDAY
"TVe Ur Elmer Appcrssn,
echaaicauy tuccMsful colin i
Facts Concerning Who
echanically Successful American Automobile
A Statement by the Apperson Bros. Automobile Co.
It was here that the idea was
discussed and developed by the
three men.
The final outcome Jof these
meetings was the building, by the
Apperson Brothers for Elwood
Haynes, of the car destined to
become famous.
The actual mechanical work on
this first car was done by the
Apperson Brothers and their em- .
ployees.
The Apperson Brothers con
structed and assembled with their
own hands this first car.
The motor was afsmall launch
,type, purchased from a marine
motor company.
- The speed transmission, which
included four individual clutches,
was of the ordinary lathe clutch
type and was bought at Dayton,
Ohio.
These clutches were adapted to
the job bythc Appersons.
It was at this time that the
Appersons designed the first con
tracting band clutch, by means
of which the power of. the motor
was applied to the driving mechan
ism. The car also was provided
with compensating gears.
Today many of the fundamental
units and actions of this original
car are still in use. Of course, they
have been greatly refined, but the
basic principles in many cases re
main the same.
The point we wish to make- the
point which we are entitled to
make the point, we believe, the
public believes we are entitled to
make, is that much of the initial
engineering work, and actual proc
ess of building and assembling the
car was done by the Apperson
Brothers by their own brains
and with their own hands.
They were the engineers to de
sign and produce the first suc
OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, JUNE
fcutUvr of America's ftnt
"T-Actr Appcnon. fcmMr f Amrics' finrt rr al
Prcttacnt of tlcApperM Brothers Autewobtl employ."
cessful American made motor car
of the internal combustion type.
That car America's first car,
was a success from the start.
When it was pulled into the
country for its trial trip, it actually
ran!
. Inasmuch as the material and
abor entering into the construc
tion of this car were paid for by
Elwood Haynes, it became his
property. He presented it to the
Smithsonian Institution at Wash
ington, D. C, where it is now on
exhibition, placarded as follows:
"Gasoline automobile built by
Elwood Haynes in Kokomo, In
diana, 1893-1894. Successful
trial trip made at a speed of six"
or seven miles per hour, July 4,
1894.
"Gift of Elwood Haynes, 1910.
262,135."
.
Yet in its issue of April 14, 1920,
the New York Globe published the
following:
"With the death of Elmer Ep
person a short time ago the auto
mobile industry loses a man who
has been an important factor in
its development from the very be
ginning. There has been some con
troversy as to whether Elmer Ap
person or Elwood Haynes was re
sponsible for the first American
Automobile, Suffice 'it to say here,
however, that no matter whether it
was Elwood Haynes or Elmer A p
personwho furnished the idea for the
car now on exhibition at the Smiih-
sonian Institution in Washing
ton, labelled 'America's First Car
there is no doubt that it was huilf
by the Apperson Brothers in the
Riverside Machine Works. Later
the Apperson boys, in association
with Elwood Haynes formed the
first American company for' the
production of motor cars the
II aynes-A pperson Company.
Later, the Appersons withdrew from
the first organization and organized
their own manufacturing company.
Through all his life and he was
only fifty-eight years old the soul
of Elmer Apperson was in the
building of automobiles. His
death removes not only a pioneer
of the industry but a useful citizen
and an honorable man.
20, 1920
Actually Built the First
Also in confirmation of this
same fact, Edward M. Souder,
editor of the Kokomo Tribune and
boyhood playmate of the Apper
son Brothers, in a "Memory"
written at the time of Elmer Ap
person's death, had the following
to say:
"E Imer A p person's business
career had its real beginning in 1SS9
when he founded the Riverside
Machine Works. That vnpreten-
i tious plant became actually, this
not in name, the first automobile
factory in America, for it was there
. after plans suggested by Elwood
Haynes, that he, in association
with his brother, Edgar, built the
first gasoline motor car constructed
in this country. This car is in
existence today comprising part of
the mechanical exhibit tn the
Smithsonian Institution infJie city
of Washington."
v
With Elmer and Edgar Apper
son there was associated with
Elwood Haynes, John Maxwell,
for whom some years later the now
famous Maxwell automobile was
named.
Thus we give all the facts con
cerning the conception, creation
and construction of America's first
mechanically successful motor
car.
In 1898 the Haynes-Apperson
Company was incorporated and a
factory built to prodyce automo
biles. This was the first regularly
incorporated company in the
United States for the manufac
ture of motor cars.
Elmer Apperson was General
Manager of this Company and
Edgar Apperson, General Super
intendent. This association continued for
three years, at which' time the
Appersons withdrew to form their
own company.
As time went on the Apperson
Brothers gave to the world many
notable engineering .motor car
Apperson Bros. Automobile Co,
improvements the most not
worthy of which are as follows :-h
They designed and built th
first'double opposed motor;
Built the first car with a float
feed carburetor;
. Built the first car with eleetrie
Ignition;
Built the first gasoline motor
car engine to win an award in
America; "
Built theear that won the first
American speed contest;
Built the ear that made th
first 100-mile non-stop run in
America;
Built the car that made the
first long overland American
tour;
Built thetwo American ears that
won first and second in the first
Automobile Club of America run;
Built their first four-cylinder
car in 1903; ,
Built their first six-cylinder
car in 1907;
Built their first eight-cylinder
car in 1914;
Built and designed the first
"Chummy" roadster body;
Building now the first eight
cylinder motor with eighty less
parts.
From this humble beginning In
1894 developed the present gigan
tic American automotive industry.
From this initial conception and
creation, which cost about 750
to build by hand, we find today
billions of dollars worth of auto
mobiles in use in the United States.
Since 1893 and 1894 the Apper-J
sons continually and consistently
have built better and better auto
mobiles. They put into practice
their basic and fundamental de
signs that are today in use by the
entire automobile industry.
The purpose of making public
this full announcement of all the
facts Is to make clear everyone's
position.
Just as there can be no doubt as
to who conceived the first car,
neither can there be any doubt as
to who created and constructed it.
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